Start the week with NANCY HENDERSON

Cade stared at the Indian. “Excuse me?”

“We have to leave.”

“Why?”

“It is not safe for you to be here.”

Cade blinked. Hunter had chased her through the woods then shot her. Now he was concerned with her safety? Where the bloody hell did he expect her to go? She didn’t know whether she could even sit up by herself, let alone stand and walk out of here.

Weakness blurred logic, dove straight to her bones. How was it this man, nearly her killer, was now the only person who spoke English here and, in a sense, her lifeline?

The last time she’d left this alone was when Ben had been called to war, but at least then she was able to take care of herself. She knew how to hunt, how to provide the basic necessities for her survival. Now she couldn’t even take care of herself. She had been shot to pieces and was in the custody of the man who had done this to her and was now ordered her to leave.

“Where am I supposed to go?”

“I will keep you safe.” His voice was like honey dripping from his fingers. Where there had been hardness in his gaze, a tiny sliver of softness appeared. Empathy? Had she imaged it? This…man held no tolerance for anyone or anything. Why would he possibly care about her safety?

Something deep in his black eyes made her want to trust him if only for a brief moment. They were a safe haven in a sea of uncertainty and violence, retribution which she had been plotting for well over a year.

“What is your name?”

“Cade.” Her expression was automatic. “Julia Cadence…Cade…Skye. Everyone calls me Cade.”

Cade had no idea why she told him her full name. She was simply Cade to everyone, had always been. Nothing simple about her or her life anymore.

“I am Kaieri Kikawera Ke.”

The words rolled off his tongue like water over rock. “What does that mean?”

“Hunter Of The Four Winds.”

Hunter. She closed her eyes against her aching brain, reopened them to find him still staring. Intense eyes that dove straight into her soul.

Something broke inside. An electrical charge. It drew her into him, made him more aware of herself from the tips of her nipples to somewhere deep. Somewhere she had no intention of ever revealing to him.

She swallowed. “Well, the name suits you.”

He frowned. Insulting him had not been her intention. She bit her lip. It felt cracked and peeling.

“If you knew I was after Grey, why didn’t you shoot to kill? Why did you let me live?”

“I always shoot to kill.”

“Then why do I live?”


********************
You just read an excerpt from:
FOUR WINDS
by
Nancy Henderson
Buy LINK: DCL PUBLICATIONS
********************
Today, we’re here with published author, Nancy Henderson.

Linda Kage: Hi, Nancy! Tell us a little about you and what you write please.

Nancy:Thanks for having me, Linda. I write in paranormal romance and historical romance. I don't write under any pen names.

Kage: What happened to the first book you ever wrote?

Nancy: It's in a file cabinet. It's just terrible, but I keep it because it's close to my heart. The story, however, didn't make much sense. Vampires, time travel, sci fi. I had it all in about 800 pages. LOL

Kage:What’s your backlist and coming soon bookshelf look like?

Nancy: Well, my latest two releases were Wicked Redemption, a paranormal romance, and Stranger In His Bed, a historical romance.

Kage: So, what story are we going to talk about today?

Nancy: I have two new releases. Four Winds is a historical romance set during the French and Indian war. Heroine, Cade, is determined to avenge the death of her husband by killing Colonel Grey, the very same man hero, Hunter, is sworn to protect. Four Winds is published with DCL Publishing (http://www.darkcastlelords.com)

Ghost Of A Chance is a paranormal romance that comes out in February. What happens when mortal and ghost fall in love? Nothing short of upsetting the balance between heaven and hell. Ghost Of A Chance is published with Champagne Books (http://www.champagnebooks.com)

********************BLURB********************
FOUR WINDS
by
Nancy Henderson

A killer sworn to protect the one she risked everything to destroy.

Revenge is all Julia “Cade” Skye has left. Determined to avenge the death of her husband, Cade is shot by one of Colonel Grey’s men, Hunter, a local native sworn to protect Grey.

Not realizing he shot a woman, Hunter has no choice but to take Cade home to his people and nurse her back to health. While recovering, Cade opens up a world to Hunter, one of compassion and understanding, something the hardened warrior never had. Hunter, in turn, teaches Cade that forgiveness is possible. Can they each forget the pain of their pasts and find a future with one another?
*********************************************

Kage: What would the story be rated if it were a movie?

Nancy: I'd hope that all my books were R rated! LOL!/span>.

Kage: If you HAD to fit this story into a cliché, which one

would it be?

Nancy: I would have to say all my books fit into the forbidden love cliche. I love that theme, so I guess I tend to use it in my own books.

Kage:Okay, now that we have a general idea which class to fit your two books

under, what makes this book so unique from every other book out there?

Nancy: Hmmm....tough one. Four Winds is set during the French and Indian war, a time period you don't see done very often. I love the Colonial period. America was a vast melting pot, rich with many, many cultures coming together oftentimes in hostile environments. Danger and adventure at every corner with stories just begging to be written! With Ghost Of A Chance....well, the hero, Nathan McGraw is dead. Oh, and I'm still madly in love with the demon villan! (Did I mention I love the bad boys? LOL!)

Kage:What was the easiest part to write?

Nancy: Dialogue always comes easy for me. Conversations play in my head as if I'm actually hearing them. Does this mean I have voices in my head? Maybe... Pacing is always a struggle for me. When editing I have to write out a timeline, Post Its all over the walls of my office. It gets pretty messy. Sort of like wading through quicksand while wearing lead boots.

Kage:What do you like most about the main character(s) and what do you like

least? Did you learn anything from them?

Nancy: The quality I love about my heroines is that they are strong, determined women who never let the odds, life, or others stand in their way or what they believe in. I hate it when conflict drives my heroes and heroines apart. And after I wrap up the conflict, I always take it as a lesson in plotting. "Next time," I say, "I will outline first so I don't get myself in this plot mess." Then another story idea takes hold and I'm off and running...without an outline!

Kage:Nancy, Thank you so much for stopping by today and gracing us with

your presence. Before we go, is there anything else you’d like to say to wrap things up?

Nancy: I love to hear from readers. Visit my blog to talk about books, reading, knitting (my second love), oh, and of course cats. You can't have just one!

If you're still curious about Nancy, here are other places to find her on the web:

Website: http://www.nancyhenderson.com/

Blog: http://nancyhenderson.blogspot.com/


Twitter: Nancy E. Henderson

Publisher Page: Champagne Books

Publisher Page: DCL Publications

End the week with LAURA KAYE

Meet Lucien!! Hero of FOREVER FREED by Laura Kaye


Now lets meet Lucien's author!! Today, we’re here with published author, Laura Kaye.

Laura: I want to start out by thanking Linda for having me over today!

Linda Kage: Well, thank you for stopping by, Laura. Why don't you tell us a little about you and what you write please.

Laura:My first reading love was paranormal romance, so it’s no surprise that’s also where I cut my teeth on writing fiction. Besides paranormal, I also write contemporary and erotic romance (the latter I’ll publish under Layla Kane). On my most recent project, I took a pretty big genre detour and wrote a women’s romantic fiction because the story idea just wouldn’t leave me alone. Though I’m a historian in “real life,” so far I haven’t been lured by historical fiction—the required research might just make it a little too much like work for me! I guess the multiple genres makes me a little schizophrenic, but each one poses different challenges that I love to take on, and regardless of genre, I’m always exploring people’s (or vampires’, etc.!) basic need to belong, to feel connected, to not be alone.

Kage: What happened to the first book you ever wrote?

Laura:There are so many ways to answer this! The first “book” I ever wrote was a handwritten paranormal retelling of The Secret Garden when I was fourteen. In my mind then, it was a book. I wish I knew whatever happened to that! I remember feeling like I was engaged in such a serious endeavor while writing it. LOL The first true novel I ever finished was Forever Freed’s great-grandfather, or at least that’s how it feels given how many iterations Forever Freed went through before becoming what it is today. The first draft came out at a whopping 150,000 words and was structured more as urban fantasy than romance. Watching approximately 60,000 words drop to the cutting-room floor as I edited was painful but necessary. Plus I have in mind maybe reworking the chopped-off beginning that most of those words represent as a prequel to what will ultimately be a 4-book series.

Kage:What’s your backlist and coming soon bookshelf look like?

Laura:My debut books are releasing this spring from The Wild Rose Press, a paranormal novel called Forever Freed and a contemporary novella called Hearts in Darkness. So there’s a whole lot coming soon!

Kage: Alright then, let's talk about FOREVER FREED. Spill all the good stuff!

Laura: Forever Freed will be released this spring by The Wild Rose Press (release date expected any day!).

********************BLURB********************
FOREVER FREED
by
Laura Kaye
Empathic vampire Lucien Demarco, sired in a horrific attack that left his human wife and child dead, never lets himself know a human beyond the horrified emotions he drinks down when starvation forces him to feed. When an alternate blood source becomes available just as Lucien gains new neighbors—a beautiful human woman radiating an alluring joy and her young daughter—he struggles over his contradictory needs for the healing, absolving emotions her blood promises and the newfound comfort and affection their companionship offers. As Lucien’s friendship with Samantha and her daughter Olivia deepens, awakening the long-lost man and father inside him, he must decide exactly what he craves most.

Coming SOON to THE WILD ROSE PRESS
*********************************************

Kage: What would the story be rated if it were a movie?

Laura: I love this! Definitely R. There are G-rated romances? My pervy brain must be steering me clear of those titles. LOL.

Kage: If you HAD to fit this story into a cliché, which one would it be?

Laura:Beauty and the beautiful-brooding-Italian-fanged Beast. Without question. ;)

Kage:Okay, now that we have a general idea which class to fit FOREVER FREED under, what makes this book so unique from every other book out there?

Laura: One thing that makes this vampire romance different is the vampire’s quite close and central relationship with a 5-year-old girl, the heroine’s daughter. Her innocence and acceptance disarms him completely and is just so sweet! I’ve always been fascinated with the idea that children, free from preconceived ideas of what’s possible and real in the world, have a greater capacity for perception and acceptance of the paranormal. So I play with that here. And when you find out what little Ollie thinks Lucien is, You. Will. Melt. Guaranteed! LOL

Kage:What was the easiest part to write?

Laura: This book was the fastest thing I ever wrote. Them there 150,000 words I mentioned above? Yeah, they spilled out into a completed draft in under 12 weeks. It wasn’t always easy, exactly, but this story and its characters slammed nearly fully formed into my head and took root there so deeply that it changed my music interests for months. Lucien is a tortured soul, and it was while channeling him that I fell in love, for example, with Linkin Park, whose songs might as well have been written with my guy in mind! LOL I couldn’t even listen to fluffy pop music for about six months—it literally rankled me like Lucien was another personality in my brain. I knew him intimately from the very beginning, so he was always easy to write—and still is.

Kage:What do you like most about the main character(s) and what do you like least? Did you learn anything from them?

Laura: Lucien is so easy to love, but what I most like is how much he appreciates everything that develops in his relationship with Sam and Ollie because it’s all so new to him. Maybe what I like the least is his penchant to think himself unworthy, and to sometimes act on that feeling. About Samantha, I love the way she’s devoted her life to her daughter, despite the hardships it’s imposed on her. That also relates to something I don’t like about her, but I can’t say more without ruining an important moment in the climax! ;) Ollie is just complete awesomesauce from beginning to end.

Kage:Laura, Thank you so much for stopping by today and gracing us with your presence. Before we go, is there anything else you’d like to say to wrap things up?

Laura: I think everyone can relate to the healing power of second chances, and at root that’s what Lucien’s really searching for in Forever Freed. Watch my website for release date information and contests—free stuff will abound shortly!

If you're still curious about Laura, here are other places to find her on the web:

Website: http://www.laurakayeauthor.com/ (under construction)

Blog: http://laurakayeauthor.blogspot.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/laurakayeauthor

Twitter: @laurakayeauthor

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/3703867

Things that make you go AHH

• Baby Hugs--slobber, snot, and all!


• Royalty Checks


• Typing “THE END”


• Book Contract offers


• Heated car seats


• Good Reviews


• Compliments

Okay, you know the drill. What makes you go AHH?

Things that make you go GRR

• Baby shoes. Seriously, how do you get them ON the baby?


• Bills


• Writers Block


• Rejection letters


• Cold, cold winter


• Bad Reviews


• Trying to be funny but ending up sounding totally lame.

What makes you go GRR?

Long and Short Of It - Interview

Today, I've been interviewed by The Long and Short of It (http://www.longandshortreviews.com/LASR/interviews.htm) Reviewers. Head over that way if you're interested in checking out what I had to say.

Once you've read it, visit LASR's weekly contest where you can win an autographed copy of Delinquent Daddy now and, as soon as it is released, an autographed copy of its companion book, Hot Commodity. http://www.longandshortreviews.com/LASR/contest.htm

Start the week with MAEVE GREYSON

Tonight Latharn was different.

He didn’t go any further than the hungry possession of her mouth or the desperate, crushing embrace. Nessa sensed he needed this night to be different. His body tensed beneath her touch, he restrained his caress as if he wanted her to reason rather than just shatter into mindless bliss.

He raised his head and gazed into her eyes. Nessa flinched at the depths of pain and frustration etched in his face. He struggled, trying to communicate, to connect with her deepest emotions without the use of words. He took his palm, flattened it against his heart then placed it upon her chest. His brows drawn together in a questioning frown, he tilted his head and waited for a sign that she understood.

Her lower lip quivered at the very obvious gesture. Nessa whispered and covered his hand with hers. “Are you telling me you love me?” Her whisper caught in her throat.

One corner of his mouth pulled up into a relieved smile as Latharn nodded and brushed his lips across hers. He took a deep breath as though steeling himself against his own deepest fears. He took her hand and repeated the heart touching gesture from her chest to his. Then he raised a brow and awaited her answer, anxiety filling his eyes.

A lone tear escaped down her cheek as Nessa stared at her hand splayed upon his broad chest. “You know I love you,” she murmured with a moan. “I just wish that you were real.”

He squeezed his eyes shut, pulling her into his arms to cradle her against his chest. Holding her close, he stroked her hair as she gave way to tears.

His arms tightened around her and he gently swayed as she softly wept in his arms.

********************
You just read an excerpt from:
BEYOND A HIGHLAND WHISPER
by
Maeve Greyson
Buy LINK: The Wild Rose Press
********************
Today, we’re here with published author, Maeve Greyson.

Linda Kage: Tell us a little about you and what you write please.

Maeve Greyson: Would you believe this question always stumps me? Why? I guess because in this little world between my ears, I just think of myself as plain old Maeve – the dreamer. *grin* A little about me –hmm... I still work the day job I’ve had for the past twenty-three years. I’ve been there so long I’ve pretty much become a permanent fixture, but I LONG for the day I can retire and become a full time writer. But I’m not complaining. I’m thankful that I have this job that’s helped to put two kids through college and chipped in on the bills. My cozy home is buried in the woods of western Kentucky where my husband of over thirty-one years caters to my whims and Jasper, my writing partner dog critiques all my words. You’ll find my stories are magical tales of paranormal romances with a dash of Celtic myth and legend added for a bit of spice. I don’t have any other pen names. I have enough trouble keeping up with this personality. *wink*

Kage: What happened to the first book you ever wrote?

Maeve Greyson: My first book is lost to another lifetime. We try not to talk about it. *sigh*

Kage:What’s your backlist and coming soon bookshelf look like?

Maeve Greyson: BEYOND A HIGHLAND WHISPER releases from The Wild Rose Press in February. Eeek! I know that’s just around the corner, isn’t it? I don’t have a backlist just yet, but I’ve got loads of “irons in the fire”. I’ll explain more about that in just a bit.

Kage: So,let's talk about BEYOND A HIGHLAND WHISPER. Please tell us all the good stuf.

Maeve Greyson:BEYOND A HIGHLAND WHISPER comes out in February with a tentative release date of the 18th. It’s already on the “Coming Soon” page of The Wild Rose Press. My little heart did a somersault the first time I saw it there. Latharn MacKay is a beguiling Scot from the 1400’s, cursed into a crystal orb when a seductive witch rages against his withheld love. But there’s hope. The woman destined for him can break the curse by whispering her love aloud. There’s just a few minor problems to overcome. Nessa is six hundred years in the future and Latharn can only visit her dreams with a silent presence. If he speaks, the curse will shatter his soul into bits. And then there’s still the matter of the sorceress. You know an enraged woman is going to have the final say…unless love proves more powerful.

********************BLURB********************
BEYOND A HIGHLAND WHISPER
by
Maeve Greyson
The last time Latharn MacKay walked among his kinsman was in Scotland of 1410. Sensuous and charismatic, all the women wanted him, but none could capture his heart. Latharn's charm became his curse when a dark sorceress didn’t take rejection well. She snared his soul into a crystal globe until the one woman destined to be his love whispered his release. Now all Latharn has to do is find her and guide her to him without speaking a word.

One of the youngest archeologists in St. Louis of 2010, Nessa credits one thing for this achievement: the recurring dream of a heart-stopping Highlander since the summer she turned eighteen years old. Little does she know, he's not some fantasy cooked up by her subconscious. He’s a trapped soul determined for Nessa to end his six centuries in hell. Can love prevail over the dark magic of a woman scorned?
*********************************************

Kage: What would the story be rated if it were a movie?

Maeve Greyson: Somewhere in the gray area between PG-13 and R. It’s not erotica but there are definitely some scenes with sizzle..

Kage: If you HAD to fit this story into a cliché, which one would it be?

Maeve Greyson:Love conquers all?

Kage:Okay, now that we have a general idea which class to fit BEYOND A HIGHLAND WHISPER under, what makes this book so unique from every other book out there?

Maeve Greyson: BEYOND A HIGHLAND WHISPER is a mix of paranormal, time travel, and a bit of historical all rolled into a delightful tale. Some of the places in the story actually exist...and some don’t. I leave it to the readers to figure out which is which.

Kage:What was the easiest part to write?

Maeve Greyson: I think the easiest part to write was the evil sorceress and her dialogue. It’s kind of relaxing to come home after a long day and unleash all your frustrations into the form of an evil character.

Kage:What do you like most about the main character(s) and what do you like least? Did you learn anything from them?

Maeve Greyson: Latharn is a sexy, protective alpha male. Loved that – even though he’s still a bit backward when it comes to women and their “place”. But he’s a Scot from the 1400’s so, I try to give the guy a break.

Nessa pulls at my heartstrings because she suffered an unhappy childhood with emotionally abusive parents. But she needs to realize it’s time to put the past where it belongs and just keep moving forward.

My friends in BEYOND A HIGHLAND WHISPER taught me never to give up hope.

Kage:Maeve, Thank you so much for stopping by today and gracing us with your presence. Before we go, is there anything else you’d like to say to wrap things up?

Maeve Greyson: Since you asked, I really need your help. I have another paranormal romance, ETERNITY’S MARK that’s been battling it out in Kensington Brava / RT Book Review’s Writing With the Stars contest. Guess what? I survived Round Three and I’m one of the four finalists moving on to Round Four. WHOO HOO!!! Anyway, I’d so appreciate your vote for my secondary character, William. If you follow this link, you can meet my lovely little Draecna and cast your vote to help us out:

http://www.rtbookreviews.com/content/writing-stars-vote-secondary-character

Thank you so very much for your support. William and I BOTH appreciate it!

If you're still curious about Maeve Greyson, here are other places to find her on the web:

Website: http://www.maevegreyson.com/

Blog: http://maevegreyson.blogspot.com/

Facebook: Maeve Greyson

Twitter: http://twitter.com/maevegreyson#

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2816642-maeve-greyson

Publisher’s Author Page: The Wild Rose Press

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/maevegreyson

Happy News Friday

I don't know about you guys, but I definitely have some happy news to share. I sold two books!!!

In February of 2012, THE RIGHT TO REMAIN MINE will be available at Champagne Books and (I'm pretty sure) some time in 2011 A MAN FOR MIA will be released from Black Lyon Publishing. Below are a couple blurbs to tell you more about both stories if you're curious at all!!

But first, tell me your good news for today.


============================================


A Man for Mia
Sweet Adult Romance
(Or as my mom would say, "Thank goodness this one doesn't have any sex in it")
Black Lyon Publishing, LLC.
Available : 2011
In Ebook and Print

When Drew Harper catches his sister storming from her house with a loaded gun and murder in her eyes, he follows her to 410 South Elm Street, where she suspects her husband's mistress might live.

Who they find in residence is Mia Stallone.

Plagued with survivor’s guilt, Mia fully believes it’d be a crime to feel happiness again…until she meets Drew, a stranger who appears in her yard, asking about the house for sale next door. He ignites a spark of hope in her, and she begins to wonder if living a little won’t kill her after all.

============================================


The Right to Remain Mine
Contemporary Adult Romance*
Champagne Books
Available : February 2012
In Ebook & later in print
*Sexually Explicit Scenes and Language

You have the right to remain cherished. Anything you read or scream out in ecstasy can and will be used against you in the bedroom of Willow DeVane. You have the right to enjoy a big, sexy cop. If you can’t find your own, one by the name of Raith Malloy will be provided for you to enjoy and explore thoroughly within these pages.

Tempers flare from the first moment divorce lawyer Willow DeVane crosses paths with sheriff deputy Raith Malloy. Both too stubborn and controlling for their own good, Willow and Raith butt heads until anger turns to passion, and they begin an affair despite their brewing hostilities. But more than one force works against them when they learn Willow’s being targeted by a dangerous stalker.

============================================

My first “embarrassed mommy” moment

Being a few weeks away from turning one year old, my daughter is learning the fine art of waving. She still needs a little work. Though she’s advanced from lifting both hands into the air like she’s calling a touchdown, she doesn’t actually wave or move anything; she merely lifts in her hand straight up in a ‘heil Hitler” sort of salute.

She waves at everyone. If I need to go out into the garage to take out the trash, she’ll stand at her baby gate and wave me goodbye.

So, my aunt’s mother died this week.

I never met the woman, but being that she was the mother to my mother’s sister-in-law and the grandmother to two of my cousins, I attended her visitation last night with my mom, sister, brother-in-law, and daughter. Another aunt showed up shortly after us and came to stand in the line directly behind us.

After trying and trying to get Lydia to wave at my aunt, everyone gave up on her for the evening when she simply would not wave at anyone. Then we reached the casket. Lydia leaned past my sister’s shoulder—since my sister was holding her—to get a look inside and, yes, she saluted the dearly departed. Repeatedly.

Hopefully anyone that saw her merely thought, “why is that kid lifting her hand; does she have a question,” and they had no idea she was waving at a dead person. You can’t very well say, “honey, don’t bother. She’s not going to wave back.” And you can’t laugh. You just gotta stand there, all red in the face, and hope the people in front of you will stop hugging already so you can move on through the line, past the humiliation.

And that is my first “embarrassed mom” moment. Definitely one to keep for the records, I say.

Start the week with LYNNE ROBERTS

Some men simply walk across a room, but not David.

Elle Simpson watched from her office as the new intern, his hips moving in a predatory roll, strolled to the copier and stood with his back toward her. No, not David.

She felt the color rise in her cheeks as her gaze traced his body, from the dark hair just curling at the nape of his neck, past wide shoulders, to the dangerous-looking narrow hips and an ass made for grabbing. Her body warmed and her inner thighs began to tingle.

David turned, as though he could sense her scrutiny, and flashed a smile that could short-circuit a city. Hell, it certainly did a number on her. Elle swallowed, hiding behind a noncommittal nod, and hoped she gave the impression she was too busy for pleasantries. Damn. She needed to be more careful.

After many years with the company, she’d earned her reputation as a dependable, hardworking, no-nonsense kind of woman. She grimaced. What would her fellow employees think if they knew every time David Nelson walked in the room, Elle’s synapses stopped firing as all the blood left her head to settle between her legs? She shifted on her chair and the friction caused her pussy to ache, reminding her of its neglected state.

Evidently finished with the copier, David gathered his papers and walked back to his cubicle. Elle tilted her head to better watch him walk down the hall. A damn sexy man. Perhaps he’d been born with some sort of exclusive hip design. It would explain the fluidity of movement.

Elle shrugged. One thing was certain—when David walked into a room, or out of it, he had her undivided attention. She didn’t think he was trying to be sexy, or if he was, the effort had become, well...effortless. There was just something in the way those well-oiled hips moved that made her wonder what else they could do.

********************
You just read an excerpt from:
AFTER HOURS
by
LYNNE ROBERTS
Buy LINK: The Wild Rose Press
********************
Today, we’re here with published author, Lynne Roberts.

Linda Kage: Tell us a little about you and what you write please.

Lynne: Thank you so much Linda for having me on your blog. I’m a mom of five, an avid gardener and I’ve been reading everything I can get my hands on since I can remember! I write spicy romance under Lynne Roberts, which is my pen name, and fantasy/paranormal romance under my real name.

Kage: What happened to the first book you ever wrote?

Lynne: LOL It’s still in its spiral notebook somewhere. Okay, to show you how much of a nerd I am… It was a love story for Spock. I got so tired of Captain Kirk always getting the girl, I wrote a story where Spock met his HEA. Even then tall, dark, intelligent characters with untapped passion called to me. LOL

Kage:What’s your backlist and coming soon bookshelf look like?

Lynne: As of right now, I only have two books on the cyber shelves: After Hours and First Date. The year After Hours released was a hard one; I lost my grandma after a prolonged illness and ended a long-term relationship. The good news, I have two books releasing early this year. Creative License from Samhain releases 2/15/11. Hooking Up from The Wilder Rose Press doesn’t have a release date yet, but I’m hoping soon.

Kage: So, what story are we going to talk about today?

Lynne: After Hours released 12/2009. I know, a long time ago. ; ) It’s an erotic cougar story about Elle, a successful business woman and David, the gorgeous intern.

********************BLURB********************
After Hours
by
Lynne Roberts
Elle Simpson doesn’t deny that the new intern is sexy as hell but he’s also ten years her junior--and she doesn’t date men from the office. Of course, dating isn’t what comes to mind when David Nelson enters a room. When Elle’s boss assigns her to work an important account, she’s thrilled—until David volunteers to help. Working one on one with her desirable new assistant is bound to test the limits of her restraint.

Everything about Elle, from her professional savvy to her hot body, turns David on, but first he has to unravel her mixed signals. After a few late nights alone with Elle in the office, David is at the end of his tether. It was hard enough during the day; keeping his hands off her after hours is proving impossible.
*********************************************

Kage: What would the story be rated if it were a movie?

Lynne: er… probably NC17.

Kage: If you HAD to fit this story into a cliché, which one would it be?

Lynne: Definitely forbidden love. Elle just doesn’t date men from the office, let alone one 10 years her junior!

Kage:Okay, now that we have a general idea which class to fit After Hours under, what makes this book so unique from every other book out there?

Lynne: There’s a definite sweetness between Elle and David that I think sets this book apart. An interesting piece of information about the story… well I suck at coming up with character names. Sometimes, when I’m sketching out the story, I call the main characters ‘he’ and ‘she’. I chose the French word for ‘she’ in this manuscript and it stuck!

Kage:What was the easiest part to write?

Lynne: Dialog was by far the easiest to write. Elle and David are the kind of characters with natural chemistry that seems to go beyond the writer (at least this writer). My biggest problem was typing fast enough to catch the dialog between them.

Kage:What do you like most about the main character(s) and what do you like least? Did you learn anything from them?

Lynne: I like Elle’s work ethic, and her ability to adapt to changing situations. I love that she sets aside stereotypes and listens to her heart. I thought of her when the gorgeous, wonderful, but younger-than-me coach of my youngest daughter’s soccer team asked me out. And yes, I followed her lead… more or less. ; )

Kage:Lynne, Thank you so much for stopping by today and gracing us with your presence. Before we go, is there anything else you’d like to say to wrap things up?

Lynne: Just thank you again, Linda! This was fun! Here's a sneak peak of the cover for Creative License.

If you're still curious about Lynne, here are other places to find her on the web:

Website: http://lynneroberts.net/

Blog: http://lynneroberts.blogspot.com/

Facebook: Lynne Roberts

Twitter: Lynne_Roberts

End the week with JANE TOOMBS

Stavos stared at the woman’s own red hair. The destroyer from The Prophecy? The red-haired, green-eyed woman who would bring ruin to Volstod?

If so, he must kill her now. But he stayed the sword’s thrust. Red hair, yes, but he hadn’t yet seen her eyes. He needed to make sure. Besides, she must have worn this fake black hair over the red. He needed to know why.

He waited, but she didn’t move, her eyes remaining closed. The Prophecy didn’t warn of her beauty. Not a woman of his acquaintance could match her.

He bent and touched her hair. It was red and silky. And her gown—he’d never seen such colorful garb. Was she dead? No, he could feel her breath when he held his fingers above her face. Injured? She’d drifted down, but had hit hard on landing.
********************
You just read an excerpt from:
Unwanted
by
Jane Toombs
Buy LINK: Eternal Press
********************
Today, we’re here with published author, Jane Toombs.

Linda Kage: Tell us a little about you and what you write please.

Jane: I’ve been writing seriously since 1973. Under my own name of Jane Toombs for the past ten years--ever since I started writing for epubs. Before that, some of my NY pubs made me use pseudonyms. I’m an eclectic writer--in other words I write in all genres except Men’s Action and Erotica.

Kage: What happened to the first book you ever wrote?

Jane: The first book I ever actually finished, Tule Witch, a gothic romance, was sold to Avon in 1973. I’d been working on the book for about a year when I took an off-campus writing class in San Diego. The author who taught the class was an older published author who fervently believed writers must send out what they wrote. In his own words, “Writing stories and never sending them out to publishers is akin to masturbation.” I took his class for two semesters. He critiqued what we were writing in class and often I was the only one who had new material each time. He talked to me privately and told me he felt my book was salable. If I finished it and let him edit it, and I changed it according to his edits, he’d send it to his agent. I did and, whoa, the agent sold Tule Witch to Avon!

Kage:What’s your backlist and coming soon bookshelf look like?

Jane: My back list is on my website for anyone interested. Otherwise my recent books (from 2008-2011) are:
From Amber Quill Press: Four historical romances: Love Medicine. The Flame, Creole Betrayal, Mischievous Music Duet
From Champagne Books: Nightingale Man (WWI spy thriller), Once An Outcast (historical romance), Lady Luck (launch book for their In The Cards Tarot Card Series)
From Whiskey Creek Press: North Of Nonesuch Anthology (paranormal suspense romances)
From Freya’s Bower: Sweet Hawk Of Love (contemporary sweet romance) From Red Rose Publishing: Null And Void (gothic romance, launch book for their Shadowed Hearts Gothic Series)
From Devine Destinies: Darkness of Dragons Trilogy--Dragon’s Pearl, Dragon’s Diamond, Dragon’s Stone (paranormal suspense romances)
From DiskUs: Midnight’s Door (paranormal suspense romance)
From Eternal Press: Unwise, Book I of my Underworld Series. Unwanted, Bok2 of my Underworld Series (fantasy suspense romance)
From Books we Love Publishing Partners: Ten Past Midnight (Dark Tales)

Kage: So, what story are we going to talk about today?

Jane: Unwanted came out January 7 from Eternal Press
http://www.eternalpress.biz/ , and is the second book in my Underworld Series. The Underworld has nothing to do with Satan, but is simply an alternate world connected to our world and others by shifting one-way gates.

********************BLURB********************
Unwanted
by
Jane Toombs
In the world into which redhead Ella with her green eyes falls, red-haired green-eyed women are killed on sight as witches…

Red-haired, green-eyed Ella Mack is lucky enough to cheat death when her car skids off a Nevada cliff. She falls into the Underworld, but lands in a country where red-headed women with green eyes are considered witches and killed on sight.

How can she stay alive in a strange land where she doesn’t even speak the language?


*********************************************

Kage: What would the story be rated if it were a movie?

Jane: R, probably, because there are several consummated love-scenes in the book..

Kage: If you HAD to fit this story into a cliché, which one would it be?

Jane: No chance romance.

Kage:Okay, now that we have a general idea which class to fit UNWANTED under, what makes this book so unique from every other book out there?

Jane: Every major and important minor character finds love despite tremendous, life and death odds.

Kage:What was the hardest part to write?

Jane: For me the synopsis is always the hardest part to write And, since I’m a plotter not a pantser, I need a synopsis. But a synopsis is not just plot--motivation, theme, character development all have to be there or I can’t write the story. And once they all are there, the story itself is actually easy to write, even though I never do stick strictly to any synopsis.

Kage:What do you like most about the main character(s) and what do you like least? Did you learn anything from them?

Jane: Both the main characters have integrity, but so do the more important minor ones, which is what I like most about them. Least? I never dislike my main characters unless one is a villain.

Kage:Jane, Thank you so much for stopping by today and gracing us with your presence. Before we go, is there anything else you’d like to say to wrap things up?

Jane: Fantasy rules! These Underworld books are all total fantasy stories, which I especially enjoy reading and writing. I’m also one of the 12 members of Jewels Of The Quill closed author promo group: Jewels of the Quill(dot)com where I’m Dame Turquoise and have my own page.

If you're still curious about Jane, here is a link to her website: http://www.janetoombs.com/

Be our Guest. Put our service to the test...

Bet you can't guess which song I'm humming right now!! Yeah, I have singing clocks and tea pots dancing around in my head.
And why is the Beauty and the Beast song rolling through my brain?

Well, because today is the twelfth....GUEST DAY. Not only am I doing my normal twelfth-of-the-month guest posting at:

Climbing Roses of the Wild Rose Press (post title : Attractive)
and
Romance Books R Us (post title : The Secret too exciting to keep to myself)

but today also happens to be the fourth Wednesday since I last wrote a blog at:
The Writer's Vineyard (post title : The ups and downs of reviews),
and as I post there every fourth Wednesday, I'm guest blogging a third place today as well!

Whew! And now I'm exhausted...going to take a nap.

Start the week with RHOBIN LEE

…2178.347-17:34 universal space-time…mission status…systems failure…initial test terminated…manual shutdown in progress...

Renna felt as lifeless as Sen’s cold body on the bed next to her. She packed her possessions in her travel bag with careful precision. They were few enough. Everything else belonged to the ship, or the crewkin as a whole, so reverted to Markham Company. Renna didn’t care. She needed no reminders. The vision of the bodies of her kin, removed one after another from this hospital room promised memory enough.

“You can't survive.” The doctor echoed Sen's last warning.

A glance showed the doctor, leaning against the door, watching her, waiting. She didn’t know his name. He never identified himself. Another anonymous Markham employee, dressed in a Markham medical uniform, as foreign to her as everyone else.

Years of ingrained prohibitions prevented the response screaming inside. She controlled her voice. “You recommend I join Sen, join my crew?” Like you and your staff encouraged her? Helped her? A final joining? Bastard. Renna closed her bag.

Truth struck her. I don’t want to. I’m afraid of dying. Coward. She couldn’t look at Sen, loyally joined with her dead kin.

“Where will you go? You are genetically unfit to live planet-side and mentally unprepared to interact with another ship's crew. Crewkin are longhaulers, not shortrunners. We recommend a final joining because we know you won't fit in.”

Renna looked around the windowless, beige room, now mostly empty, with her kin and their hospital beds removed. Only Sen’s and her beds remained. Sleeping alone in a bed had seemed so strange. Perhaps another unspoken means to encourage her kin to their final joining? Although her eyes burned, she held no more tears.

“My problem, doctor.” Me, mine, my, such strange pronouns after we, ours, and us—now unimportant, like everything else.

Renna snapped the closures on her bag and turned to the door. He remained, relaxed against the doorframe.

“The staff understands your pain, no matter what you think. I've seen kin like you before. You’re conditioned to survive within your own society. Believe me, we only want to provide for your needs, for your comfort.”

Renna looked away, escaping his gaze. No. Not me. Her kin, her future, her known existence ended with Markham3’s failure, yet she refused the doctor’s cure. In the awkward silence, she left. He didn’t move as she passed. She sidled around him to prevent any touch. He huffed, shaking his head in unvoiced comment on her defiance.

Hospital staff and other Markham employees watched her. They stared as she made her way through headquarters. She felt their gazes follow her departure, ushered by a wave of quiet crashing behind her in hushed exchanges. The skin of her neck itched, expecting Dom Dukan’s disapproval. His reprimand already rang through her mind. “The Dom represents Markham3 Crew. To attract attention to Renna defiles our kin. We are preeminent among ships; we strive to excel, anything else is unprofessional. Seeking recognition belonging to the whole kin makes you less. More like unreliable shortrunners.”

Renna swallowed the painful gasp swelling in her throat, ignoring those regarding her exit. Good kin performed joining before committing the heresy of desertion, so Markham taught. Their notice made her exit a judgment.

Renna stopped before the massive plasmetal hatch disguised as elaborate carved doors defining the Markham Company boundary. Through a transparent section of the gate, Renna watched the norms crowding the space station’s causeway. A memory of walking with her kin out of this portal flashed before her. They had left as a group. All dressed in their neat tan utility suits. All heads bore the same short blond hair, except for her. Dom Dukan demanded her head remain shaved to eliminate her unkin colored hair. She swiped her scalp, felt the prickle of growth and swore to never again cut whatever grew. He could do nothing about her dom-matching height, or her colorless eyes. Markham Company had deemed his request to change her eye color frivolous.

The automatic portal to the astroport opened, closed, and opened again while she hesitated. Her kin had found leaving the Markham3 difficult; leaving Markham territory terrified them. Safe among her kin, Renna remembered her excitement for the chance to explore the space station alive with so much noise, so much color. Stepping through the doors, she remembered, how upon returning, Dom Dukan refused to leave Markham property again. She quashed the memory, refusing to look back. She would never return, no matter what.

Now everything looked gray. The resonance in the port swallowed individual sounds forming a cacophony of white noise, which created an odd noise construction of silence. Unfamiliar smells permeated the air, mixing into a repugnant strange atmosphere. The difference divorced her from any response as effectively as the hatch closing behind her severed her from her past life.

With steady steps she headed for the station’s main concourse.

She focused on the people. Some stood, turning their head to read signage looking for their direction. Others talked in small groups. Often a jagged burst of laughter erupted around them. Still others rushed, carrying, pulling or pushing packages, crates, or luggage.

People…strangers...norms, no matter what you called them...they crowded, jostled, and shouted in fast flung sounds she didn’t understand. Each one appeared different in shape, size, color, and clothing. Their smell curled within her nose. Each seemed at once both self-absorbed and attentive, threading through one another’s journey with little interest in other travelers. So different.

Alongside the concourse, trams stopped or left with accompanying tumult. Station communications broadcasted throughout the station from multiple AV ports. Shock and fear hit her anew, alone among so many. She froze in place, closed her eyes, and ignored her inner turmoil. You’re a Speaker; dealing with norms is your special domain, your duty. Another perverse inner voice shouted, Not like this! She clamped down on her panic and took a deep breath. You can do this. Don’t react. Don’t feel.
********************
You just read an excerpt from:
Crewkin
by
Rhobin L. Courtright
BUY Link: MuseItUp Publishing
********************
Today, we’re here with published author, Rhobin L. Courtright.

Linda Kage: Tell us a little about you and what you write please.

Rhobin:I always write under the first name Rhobin no matter whether followed by L. Courtright or Lee Courtright, so you can always identify my books. At least that's true so far. I've always said the h was in Rhobin for the hell of it, but it has turned out to be very useful.

Kage: What happened to the first book you ever wrote?

Rhobin: I threw it away a long time ago. Authors have to learn how to pitch a book, and sometimes the best pitch is the the trash can.

Kage:What’s your backlist and coming soon bookshelf look like?

Rhobin: I have three books in a fantasy romance series published, three books in a scifi series, two stand-alone scifi books, and one romantic suspense. Readers can find the titles on either my web page rhobinlee.com or my blog at rhobinsrambles.blogspot.com.
I always have many works in various stages of production. Usually I start with titles and work out themes until the characters start interacting, then I can write their story.

Kage: So, what story are we going to talk about today?

Rhobin: Crewkin will be released in February from MuseItUp Publishing. It is one of the stand-alone scifi stories mentioned previously. There are only eight characters for most of the story line.

Renna is crewkin, part of a ship crew raised and conditioned from birth to live in closed societies on what are known as long-haul ships. They haul cargo from asteroid mines on the fringes of the galaxy. The setting takes place in space before faster-than-light travel, so these crews spend their lives on these long journeys. The cargo companies have come to see the crews as dispensable tools. When her ship is damaged, Reanna is supposed to suicide with the rest of her crew. Instead, she chooses to live, ending by chance on a small family owned short-haul cargo carrier where she tries to fit in. Unknown to her or her new crew, the cargo they carry destroyed Renna's ship and crewkin.

********************BLURB********************
Crewkin
by
Rhobin L. Courtright

Born and bred to be crewkin, Renna is devastated by the death of her ship and her kin. When her company’s medical department advises the few remaining survivors to commit suicide and join their kin in death, Renna refuses. Knowing she can never join another crewkin, she seeks a berth on one of the short-haul shippers running cargo hauls between the planets. Integration into ‘norm’ crew seems impossible until she joins the crew of the Vagrant Spirit. Her captain seems as desperate for any capable crewman as Renna is for a ship’s position. This job, this journey will propel her into a new world.

There is nothing so true as change is inevitable. Rumours of a new engine capable of thrusting a ship greater distances in a fraction of the time a crewkin ship takes, threatens Markham Company’s business. There is only one thing left to do—get rid of the evidence, the last survivor, and anyone else who threatens discovery.
*********************************************

Kage: What would the story be rated if it were a movie?

Rhobin: Probably PG-13. There are sex scenes, but nothing graphic, unless you find the word nipple graphic. It's hard to tell what rating to apply when I see what is on TV and in the movies today. Wow! (editorial comment.).

Kage: If you HAD to fit this story into a cliché, which one would it be?

Rhobin: Lost in Space or 2001. Somewhere I read where there are only three, or seven or ten plot lines... That may be or may not true, but I read all the time and I always find it's about the characters and how they change the familiar plot lines that makes the story come alive.

Kage:Okay, now that we have a general idea which class to fit Crewkin under, what makes this book so unique from every other book out there?

Rhobin: Crewkin takes in some of the realities of space travel, and tries to put a new twist on a few old scifi clichés.

Kage:What was the easiest part to write?

Rhobin: The first four chapters were very easy to write because they dealt with the characters and setting. After that is was very hard. I'm not sure why, except the cause-effect relationships, the science and logical outcomes in the rest of the story became increasingly difficult.

Kage:What do you like most about the main character(s) and what do you like least? Did you learn anything from them?

Rhobin: What I like best, I think, is I tried to make a crew who grows into their humanity. Renna, of course, has a lifetime of brainwashing and conditioning to overcome, but she is not the only crewman with problems.

Kage:Rhobin, Thank you so much for stopping by today and gracing us with your presence. Before we go, is there anything else you’d like to say to wrap things up?

Rhobin: Thanks for letting me visit your blog, Linda. I hope your readers will find Crewkin interesting--and if they like scifi/fantasy with strong female leads that they might like some of my previous stories.

If you're still curious about Rhobin, here are other places to find her on the web:

Website: http://rhobinlee.com/

Blog: rhobinsrambles.blogspot.com/

Facebook: Rhobin Lee Courtright

Twitter: Rhobin

MySpace: Rhobin L. Courtright

Goodreads: Rhobin Lee Courtright

Publisher’s Author Page: MuseItUp Publishing

Friday Forwards - #16

Today's Forwards come from the website :

http://www.school-for-champions.com/history/lincolnjfk.htm

Similarities Between the Assassinations of Kennedy and Lincoln

-Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846.
-Kennedy was elected to Congress in 1946.

~*~

-Lincoln was elected President in 1860.
-Kennedy was elected President in 1960.

~*~

-Lincoln's wife lost a child while living in the White House.
-Kennedy's wife lost a child while living in the White House.

~*~

-Lincoln was directly concerned with Civil Rights.
-Kennedy was directly concerned with Civil Rights.

~*~

-Lincoln had a secretary named Kennedy who told him not to go to the theater.*1-Kennedy had a secretary named Lincoln who told him not to go to Dallas.*2

~*~

-Lincoln was shot in the back of the head in the presence of his wife.
-Kennedy was shot in the back of the head in the presence of his wife.

~*~

-Lincoln was shot in the Ford Theatre.
-Kennedy was shot in a Lincoln, made by Ford.

~*~

-Lincoln was shot on a Friday.
-He was shot on a Friday.

~*~

-Lincoln's assassin, John Wilkes Booth, was known by three names, comprised of fifteen letters.
-Kennedy's assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, was known by three names, comprised of fifteen letters.

~*~

-Booth shot Lincoln in a theater and fled to a warehouse. *3-Oswald shot Kennedy from a warehouse and fled to a theater.

~*~

-Booth was killed before being brought to trial.
-Oswald was killed before being brought to trial.

~*~

-There were theories that Booth was part of a greater conspiracy.
-There were theories that Oswald was part of a greater conspiracy.

~*~

-Lincoln's successor was Andrew Johnson, born in 1808.
-Kennedy's successor was Lyndon Johnson, born in 1908.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*1 Note: It is an urban myth that Lincoln had a secretary named Kennedy. There is no record of that.

*2 Note: There is no record whether or not Kennedy's secretary warned him.

*3 Note: Booth actually fled to a farm and was killed in a tobacco barn. It might be a stretch to call it a warehouse. But two years after his death, Booth's body was temporarily moved to a warehouse. Also, after the assassination, the government closed the Ford Theatre and turned it into a warehouse.

Lessons Learned...The Rejection Way - #7

Watch those subject lines
There are so many agents and publishers taking electronic submissions these days. All you gotta do is fix up a nice quick "cover letter" email, and hit the check spelling button, then send that baby off, right?? Boy, do I wish.

I usually go a step further than this and write my letter on Word, hoping to catch misuses, repeats, grammar, and so on. Then I proofread, put it away for a few days, then proofread again. Finally, I copy and paste it into my email body....then I finally hit send.

I try--really--to be so careful.

But I always forget to proofread that darn SUBJECT LINE. And I'm really beginning to wish you could spell check the subject line because once I wrote Submission as SBUMISSION and another time I wrote it as SUMISSION...all to the same publisher. Oops.

As soon as I hit send, I saw the misspelling and wished I could undo, undo, undo. The Subject line is what editors see before they even look at your cover letter or your synopsis or even your story. Misspells on the Subject Line cannot be cool.

Now I didn't receive a rejection letter that actually said, "I cannot believe you can't even spell SUBMISSION. We are so not looking at your proposal just because of that." (okay, fine, I confess I actually sold that story), but it was still way embarrassing. Not only did it make me feel unprofessional, but it had to start that editor off with a bad first impression.

So, hey everyone, don't forget to proofread the subject line too before you hit SEND!!!

(PS: I actually re-read the subject line for this post and found out I'd spelled Lessons as LEASONS. Yay, I actually followed my own advice for once!)

Start the year with CARA MARSI

Dominic sprang up and flew at the mugger, knocking him to the ground. The two men grappled, rolling together on the cobbled street. Lexie, her heart thumping wildly, looked for an opening to bean the mugger again, to give Dominic a better chance at overcoming him.

“Stop it! Stop it! Leave him alone!” The mugger ended up on top, and she whaled away with her bag, getting in any shot she could.

Shouts and the slap of running feet vibrated through the alley. The mugger swore, jumped up, and raced away, a few men giving chase. Several others helped Dominic to stand, yelling in excited voices, and gesturing toward where their attacker had disappeared.

Dominic winced in pain. Lexie looked down at his ripped, blood-soaked pant leg. “Dominic, you’ve got to get to the hospital. You’re bleeding.”

“I’m okay,” he said. “It is nothing.” Brushing dirt off his jacket, he turned to the men who stood nearby and said something to them in rapid Italian. With nods, they strode away.

Breathing heavily, Lexie disagreed. “You’re not okay. We’ll get a cab and take you to the hospital.”

He cupped her shoulders. “I’ve been through worse. I’m fine. Really. Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

“No. I’m…” The full impact of what had happened hit her. The adrenaline that had given her strength suddenly dissipated and she began to tremble. “I’m not okay.”

“Lexie.” Dominic moved forward to take her into his arms. She held on for dear life, needing his strength. He rubbed his hand along her back. “It’s okay, Lexie. We’re both okay. It was just a mugger. You’re safe with me.”

She clung to him. It wasn’t her imagination. Strange things were happening. She had nothing anyone could want. She didn’t know who to trust. Dominic said she was safe with him. But was she really?

********************
You just read an excerpt from:
Murder, Mi Amoreby
Cara Marsi
BUY LINK : The Wild Rose Press
********************

Today, we’re here with published author, Cara Marsi.

Linda Kage: Tell us a little about you and what you write please.

Cara Marsi: First, thank you, Linda, for inviting me here. I write in several genres: traditional romance, romantic suspense, and paranormal. I also write short romance stories for the confession magazines. My first book was a traditional romance with Avalon Books. That one, A Catered Affair, is published under my real name, Carolyn Matkowsky. I use Cara Marsi now for my books.

Kage: What happened to the first book you ever wrote?

Cara Marsi: The very first book I ever wrote is in the proverbial drawer. It will never see the light of day in its present state. However, I love my characters and plan to write another story for them. At the time I wrote it, I hadn't even heard of POV. And the story is set on a ranch in Wyoming, which I still think is very exotic. However, I'm an East Coast girl and I know nothing about ranches anywhere. They say "write what you know." I can attest to that. My first published book is set in my hometown of Wilmington, Delaware. Not as exotic as a ranch in Wyoming, but I sure know it.

Kage:What’s your backlist and coming soon bookshelf look like?

Cara Marsi: I wish I had too many to mention. A Catered Affair is a hardback and I believe you can find used copies online. My first romantic suspense, Logan's Redemption, is available exclusively now on Amazon Kindle. It was originally published by The Wild Rose Press. My newest romantic suspense, Murder, Mi Amore, was released in December 2010 from The Wild Rose Press. My werewolf paranormal romance, Cursed Mates, from Noble Romance Publishing, was also released December 2010.

Kage: So, what story are we going to talk about today?

Cara Marsi: I'm promoting my romantic suspense, Murder, Mi Amore, released December 15, 2010, from The Wild Rose Press. Murder, Mi Amore, is about an American woman, Lexie Cortese, who is in Rome, Italy, to forget a hurtful breakup. Her Roman holiday is uneventful until the day she buys a designer handbag. Then she is suddenly thrust into a world of terrorists, jewel thieves, murder and attempted kidnapping. And she meets a very sexy, mysterious Italian man who may or may not be involved in the strange events surrounding her. Through it all, Lexie learns to fight for what she wants, including learning to trust herself and to open her heart again.

********************BLURB********************
Murder, Mi Amoreby
Cara Marsi
Jewels of the Night SeriesLexie Cortese is in Rome to forget. The last thing she expects is to meet a sexy Interpol agent who suspects her of being part of a terrorist plot involving a stolen diamond. Suddenly thrust into a world of murders, muggings, and kidnappings, Lexie doesn’t know what to think—or who to believe.

Dominic Brioni’s assignment is simple. Befriend the American and bring her to justice. Only Lexie seems like the most unlikely terrorist Dominic has ever met. Sweet, determined, and direct, she faces life with courage and fire, a fire that sparks his protective instincts and a longing for something more—something he allowed himself to hope for only once before.

But that woman betrayed him, and his boss isn’t about to let him forget it. With his career on the line and Lexie in danger, will Dominic learn to trust his heart before they both get killed?
*********************************************

Kage: What would the story be rated if it were a movie?

Cara Marsi: Most definitely R. Once you meet Dominic Brioni, you'll understand why..

Kage: If you HAD to fit this story into a cliché, which one would it be?

Cara Marsi:
I would say whodunit, save-the-world, foreign adventure with a sexy Italian.

Kage:Okay, now that we have a general idea which class to fit Murder, Mi Amore under, what makes this book so unique from every other book out there?

Cara Marsi: Murder, Mi Amore is set almost entirely in Rome, Italy. I have a chapter set in Ripa Teatina, Abruzzo, Italy, where my grandparents came from. I doubt you'll find many books with scenes in Ripa Teatina. I used the setting, including hotel, from my 2006 trip to Italy. What haven't I told anyone before? The heroine, Lexie Cortese, is named after one of my nieces. The designer handbag that starts all the trouble for Lexie is dark green. My favorite color is green and I have several green handbags. Lexie's favorite gelato is kiwi melon. My favorite gelato is kiwi melon. The story ends in Las Vegas. My son lives in Las Vegas. The story was such fun to write and very personal. I felt as if I were reliving my trip to Italy. The Las Vegas ending is a nod to my son, and also to my recent trip out there to visit him.

Kage:What was the easiest part to write?

Cara Marsi: The setting was easy because I was so familiar with it. Lexie was fun to write and I pictured myself having her adventures. I have to say writing any scene with Dominic was the easiest. I fall in love with all my heroes, and Dominic is no exception. I find my heroes the easiest to write.

Kage:What do you like most about the main character(s) and what do you like least? Did you learn anything from them?

Cara Marsi: What I like most about Lexie is she grows through the story. In the beginning, she is determined to be her own woman after a life of always doing what others expect of her, and she succeeds. The fact she travels to Rome alone without knowing the language shows her determination. I admire her pluck and the way she is sure someone is after her even though the police don't believe her. She suspects Dominic is hiding something, yet she recognizes a core of goodness in him and learns to trust him. The thing I like least about her is in the past she always did what her parents and her ex-fiance wanted. But she is truly her own woman by the end of the book. Dominic is strong, a warrior, with a soft spot for women in trouble. He had to raise his younger sister and this makes him very understanding and respectful of women. He's an agent for Interpol and his job is to bring Lexie, suspected of working with terrorists, to justice. But he soon realizes she isn't like any terrorist he's ever met. At the risk of losing his job, he works with Lexie to fight the people who are trying to kill them both. I can't think of anything I don't like about Dominic. He's been hurt in the past and keeps his heart close, but he also learns to trust Lexie and open his heart to love.

Kage:Cara, Thank you so much for stopping by today and gracing us with your presence. Before we go, is there anything else you’d like to say to wrap things up?

Cara Marsi: I hope you'll buy "Murder, Mi Amore," and that you'll enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. I hope you enjoy the exotic locales and Lexie and Dominic's adventure. I hope the love they find for each other will make you sigh at the end. I love hearing from readers. You can contact me through my website. Thanks again, Linda, for having me.

If you're still curious about Cara Marsi, here are other places to find her on the web:

Website: http://www.carolynmatkowsky.com/
(I love to hear from readers. Please contact me through my website.)

Facebook: Carolyn Matkowsky

YouTube: CarolynMat2*

Twitter: Cara Marsi

Goodreads: Cara Marsi